&%*\=:¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨:=\*%&
%*\=:¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨:=\*%
&%*\=:¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨:=\*%&
@&%*\=:¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨:=\*%&@
#@&%*\=:¨¨                                          ¨¨:=\*%&@#
##@&%*\=:¨             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ¨:=\*%&@##
#@&%*\=:¨¨             the alvar fields             ¨¨:=\*%&@#
@&%*\=:¨¨¨             %%%##########%%%             ¨¨¨:=\*%&@
&%*\=:¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨:=\*%&
%*\=:¨¨¨¨¨ from  north   to   south,   thirty   odd ¨¨¨¨¨:=\*%
&%*\=:¨¨¨¨ kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four ¨¨¨¨:=\*%&
@&%*\=:¨¨¨ thousand  meters. from topsoil to stone, ¨¨¨:=\*%&@
#@&%*\=:¨¨ a foot  or two. no roots can  fester, no ¨¨:=\*%&@#
##@&%*\=:¨             dust can linger.             ¨:=\*%&@##
#@&%*\=:¨¨                                          ¨¨:=\*%&@#
@&%*\=:¨¨¨ here  is earth,  clay,  and  sturdy  low ¨¨¨:=\*%&@
&%*\=:¨¨¨¨ plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ¨¨¨¨:=\*%&
%*\=:¨¨¨¨¨ earth  is bare in  patches as  large  as ¨¨¨¨¨:=\*%
&%*\=:¨¨¨¨               you and me.                ¨¨¨¨:=\*%&
@&%*\=:¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨:=\*%&@
#@&%*\=:¨¨ cross  it to get to  the ocean, or don't ¨¨:=\*%&@#
##@&%*\=:¨          to stay where you are.          ¨:=\*%&@##
#@&%*\=:¨¨                                          ¨¨:=\*%&@#
@&%*\=:¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨:=\*%&@
&%*\=:¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨:=\*%&
%*\=:¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨:=\*%
&%*\=:¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨:=\*%&
@&%*\=:¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨:=\*%&@